‘When DJ culture exploded in the mid-to-late-’90s, it spawned myriad subgenres and DJs basically forged unique identities by focusing on a particular sound. Unfortunately, the end result got plain boring. I was just as guilty as anyone when it came to playing myself into a corner.”

Nav Sangha is pondering today’s prevailing trends in T.O. clubs — and just how we got here. Two years ago, he busted out of that jazz, funk and house-heavy corner by changing his handle from Dee Jay Nav to Nasty Nav and adding the edgier sounds of electro, indie-dance and rock into his sets, becoming a beacon in the process.

“As much as we’re all sick to death of the whole Jive Bunny mash-up phenomenon, it blew things wide open,” he adds. “Musical worlds are colliding at clubs all over the city. Anything goes. The more you mix it up, the better.”

While this is true, I have to ask just how mixed the sounds really are as “open format” now seems to equal electro mixed with indie-dance, booty and possibly a touch of dancehall. I, too, love and spin these sounds, but I’m concerned that the potential here is much larger than the results.

“There seem to be a lot of carbon-copy events happening in Toronto,” summarize DJs Dalia and Numeric of Hip-Hop Karaoke and Never Forgive Action. “How many Baltimore club/booty bass nights does this city need exactly?”

“There’s been too much of this mash-up business!” is d’n’b DJ Frankie Gunns’ take on the subject. “I’m all for having fun at the dance, but would you please leave perfectly good tracks alone? Get creative!”
Calls for more creativity in music and overall entertainment topped the list when I asked 10 Toronto DJs and promoters what could make our city’s collective scene stronger. Other recurring requests came for “less politics,” more collaboration among promoters, and most of all, for venues with good sound.

“It’s becoming increasingly difficult to track down a good mid-sized venue,” say Dalia and Numeric,

“especially when they seem to be closing down more than opening up.”

Indeed, we saw Sonic and Crosstown, two venues with incredible promise, both close their doors in less than a year. It’s little wonder there is such excitement about megaclub CiRCA (126 John), the newly opened Wrongbar (1279 Queen W.) and soon-to-open ANTI (upstairs at 1100 Queen W.).
A significant, long overdue shift is the increased booking of local and Canadian talent in clubs of all sizes — including as headliners. This is crucial, both for artists building careers and a club-going public who want to be proud of their own, but who are still looking for signs that they should be.
“From a deep-house-scene perspective, there is an abundance of talent coming out of this city that is getting recognition worldwide, but never seemed to get the respect due in their own backyard,” comments Pat Boogie of Boogie Inc. “I’ve [finally] seen this starting to happen in Toronto and I hope it continues.”

“I swear we are the world underdog at the moment, and quite possibly because we continue to put ourselves in that position,” agrees Jay Sanders a.k.a. DJ General Eclectic. “We need to rep ourselves for the incredible talent we have and the unique contributions we’re making on a global scale.”
When asked which locals he’d suggest that people look and listen for in 2008, Sanders mentions Afro-Brazilian percussion ensemble Maracatu Nunca Antes, vocalist Zaki Ibrahim (“Good god, she is just beyond!”), soulful electro-dancehall duo Bonjay and the most frequently mentioned of all: Toronto/Montreal electro-pop-hop force Thunderheist.

Sure, international artists such as Switch, Herve, Kid Sister, Calibre and Simbad were mentioned in this poll, but people were particularly hyped to hype locals.

“Producers like MSTRKRFT and VNDLSM and live acts like Thunderheist and Montreal’s Chromeo are making huge waves internationally and that brings more attention to DJs and producers affiliated with them,” cheers DJ Barbi.

“Locally Deadmau5 and Crystal Castles are poised for a huge breakout year, and Sebastien Grainger has some amazing new music I think will be big,” offers Mario J of A.D/D.

“Things have felt like they were on the verge of busting wide open for a while, but I would say [that’s the case] now more than ever,” enthuses promoter Diggy Scott of DMoney. “If Toronto can get past its inferiority complex, ’08 could be the year for the T-dot.”

DENISE BENSON'S BEST MUSIC OF 2007

ARTIST ALBUMS
Ghislain Poirier: No Ground Under (Ninja Tune)
Fujiya + Miyagi: Transparent Things (DD&B)
LCD Soundsystem: Sound of Silver (DFA)
Heinrich Schwarz: Live (K7)
Panda Bear: Person Pitch (Paw Tracks)
Miracle Fortress: Five Roses (Secret City)
Burial: Untrue (Hyperdub)
Caribou: Andorra (Merge)
Deadbeat: Journeyman’s Annual (~scape)
M.I.A.: Kala (XL)

SINGLES + EPs

Samim: Heater (Get Physical)
Thunderheist: Bubblegum (Bigfoot)
Trentemoller: Moan (Poker Flat)
Daedelus: Fairweather Friends (Ninja Tune)
Flying Lotus: Reset (Warp)
Justice: D.A.N.C.E. (Ed Banger)
Robert Strauss with Leroy Burgess: Hot Like An Oven (BBE)
Plants and Animals: With/Avec (Secret City)
Junior Boys: The Dead Horse EP (Domino)
Muscles: Ice Cream (Bang Gang)

COMPILATIONS + MIX CDs
Ellen Allien: Fabric 34 (Fabric)
Required Listening (Do Right)
Kon & Amir Present Off Track Vol 1: The Bronx (BBE)
Booka Shade: DJ Kicks (K7)
Soundboy Punishments (Skull Disco)
Ricardo Villalobos: Fabric 36
Well Deep: 10 Years of Big Dada (Big Dada)
Freshly Composted #2 (Compost)
Rhymekeepers (Native Earth / All-In Records)
The Standard 4:19 (Quango)

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